Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter , cut into small cubes and chilled
• 7/8 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 baskets of fresh strawberries, rinsed, stems removed and discarded, sliced
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a large bowl, give the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder a strong whisk. Work in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter, or pulse it in a food processor, stopping when the biggest bits of butter are about pea-size. In a small bowl, beat the cream, egg, and vanilla together with a fork.
2. Make a hollow in the flour mixture, then pour the cream mixture into the center. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly damp and still shaggy. If it feels too sticky to manage, dust in more flour, up to 1/2 cup more. Use your hands to knead the dough about 8 turns, just enough to bring it into a ball.
3. Dust a smooth surface lightly with flour. Move the dough onto it and pat or roll it until it is between 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch thick. Cut rounds with a 1 1/2-inch diameter biscuit cutter, or use a juice glass. If the dough wants to cling, dip the cutter in flour before cutting. Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 to 2 inches between them. Chill them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the biscuits on the middle rack for 12 minutes, until they have risen and are lightly browned. Take them out of the oven and let them cool.
5. While the biscuits are baking, get the strawberries and whipped cream ready. Put the sliced strawberries in a bowl and scatter the sugar over them. Stir gently so the sugar coats most of the berries. Let them sit until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries release their juices.
6. For the whipped cream, start with cream that is very cold; chilling the bowl helps too. Beat the cream with a hand mixer until it just starts to firm up. You can use a blender, but keep an eye on it because cream over-whips quickly that way. Sprinkle in the sugar and vanilla, then keep whipping until the cream is thick and holds its shape. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled until you assemble the shortcakes.
7. When the biscuits have cooled to room temperature, gently split them into tops and bottoms. Set a strawberry slice or 2 on each bottom, then add a dollop of whipped cream over the strawberries. Place the top biscuit piece over the whipped cream. That’s your slider. You can also serve them open-faced, without the top.